Saturday, August 1, 2015

Back to impasto for a while. The thing about oil paints is that even with a medium to hurry them along in their drying process, it still takes quite a while. Especially when the art is as thick as the impasto florals that I love to do.

So, I have to make some and let them sit and dry for several weeks. I know there are people who mail their impasto too soon and they stick to the bubble wrap and other packing materials. It does leave an imprint on the art surface. So, if you do impasto, make sure that they are ready to send off to their new home!

Monday, July 27, 2015

I think I blogged about this before, but if I did it was a big ago. We went to the Mercantile building in Frisco, Texas (I never know what to call it, it isn't a flea market or an antique mall but has booths for commercial products an art) and ending up adopting a retired racer greyhound. We had to be checked out and had a home visit with the sponsors before we could bring him home.

He had this awful name, I won't even repeat it. So, we immediately changed it. His new name is Chase. Appropriate huh? He was 5 years old which is about when they retire them. He raced in over 110 races, but we don't know how many he won.

He never met a cat, a small dog, stairs and he definitely had not been loved. We conquered all those things. But, I still get upset when I see his legs. They are so scarred up. Taking him to a new vet a couple of times means explaining that we have not abused him. Makes me sad. But we know he loves us and when he gets excited he still hurts himself on the various forms of steps in and outside out home. He is the most sensitive and sweet dog we have ever had.

Here is a recent pic of Chase. He has five M and M pillows. He carries them everywhere. He even, umm, takes them outside then accidentally pees on them. So, we need a lot. He also has a Tony the Tiger pillow but for now, it is missing in action.

Friday, July 24, 2015

I get bored so easily. I don't know if in art that is a good thing or a bad thing. Sometimes it leads to something great. This idea is very simple, but I think it has great possibilites.

Using Stazon black ink, I added some stamping to one of my simple alcohol pieces.

I did have to go back and with a permanent marker, make the birds a little darker. I like the way it turned out. Next, I will try some gold leafing and whatever else that I can drag up out of the back of the closet!!!

Saturday, July 18, 2015

A few more alcohol ink pieces. I have been remiss in writing because the husband and I have decided to purchase a small home at the lake (Lake Texoma) and we have been going back and forth to see what was available. I think we exhausted the little cabins in our price range, so we will try again in the fall. This is a huge compromise as my husband, who is a bit of a prepper (he started canning food and he is learning how to catch rain water or something for drinking in an emergency).
Okay, yes, he needs something to do. Anyway, he wanted to get 22 acres in mid-Texas and live in the woods (ugh), so I freaked out and decided to help him find something NOT on 22 acres in the woods.

I promised myself that I would not stop blogging, so here are a few of the alcohol pieces that I have done.

The second picture is on a frosted subway tile. My local Home Depot and Lowe's didn't have these so I had to send from them. I use a very great company named Tile Bar. You can send for samples for a reasonable price and try them out. Their stock does change constantly, but so far, so good for what I needed. The tiles are a great way to start with alcohol ink. You can wipe them off with alcohol and start over if you hate what you have done.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

I had to write a bit about alcohol ink art. I have neglected it a bit since I found impasto (thick thick paint) on canvas art. So, here is a couple of pieces that I did just before I jumped ship.

This is a piece that is actually on a white subway tile. I love it so much that I put it up on Etsy, then I took it down, then I put it back up. This went on for a while. Right now, it is still in one of my favorite pieces in my art room.

And another

This is a piece on my Baker's rack in my kitchen. Can't seem to part with it either.

Hope you enjoy seeing them.

I am not doing articles for magazines or submitting anything at all anymore. Stampington publications were always good to me and I always enjoyed the pieces that they asked me for and the ones that I just submitted. But I kept seeing the same things over and over and they changed editors so very very many times after Jenny Doh left.....so I retired from the print media. Who knows, maybe one day I will send in something else.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Aha, I am still hooked on impasto. Problem is, it truly is an art form of painting that not too many people know about. And it is sooo much fun. Yep, I am trying to get some converts.

You can use acrylic paint to do impasto and some do, but if you can use oil, the paintings are so much brighter and although it takes longer to dry (okay, so that is an understatement) but it is worth it.
I have done both, and I keep going back to oil.

Here is my latest. And I am going bigger. I don't know what it is about me, but I just delight in doing small pieces of art. This one is 8 x 10.

This would look so good in a kid's room, but also a grown up bedroom or a small piece for over an end table. I have several just propped up in shelving. Easy to change them out.

Yes, I will go on doing alcohol art pieces, but for now, I am intent on ruining ALL of my clothes with oil paints. I may have to break down and wear an apron....naaaaa.....not yet.

I think my comment section is disabled. However, if you should want to contact me, I do better with my email.....redheadis@yahoo.com

Monday, June 22, 2015

Well, it didn't take long for some of my friends to email me and say "Hey, missy, what on earth IS impasto?"

Impasto can be either acrylic or oil painting. I found out pretty quick that although I got oil paint all over my clothes when I use it, that it was a good thing in the long run. I can come back the next day to a piece that I made and make corrections. Something that acrylic paints will never let you do.
So, for now oil it is.

Impasto is thick, thick, painting. I do it with a palette knife which helps keep that buttery, frosting look. It stands up off the canvas and makes a gorgeous presentation. I have found that the depth can be fairly low or by using an impasto medium, it can go to fairly great heights.

As usual, when I begin with a new medium, I cannot seem to find a lot of newer work with explanations from seasoned artists to guide me along. The same thing happened to me several years ago when I embarked on a mission to learn to use encaustics (resin and beeswax). I actually think that might be a good thing, but at first it is pretty frustrating.

This time, the experience wasn't so expensive. All you need to start out with is oil paint, some impasto medium, some canvases and a couple of palette knives. I find out as far as the knives go, I bought lots, only use a few. And then practice, practice, practice.

My first pieces were pathetic, but then again, you can scrape the canvas off, and start again.

So, thick, thicker, thickest paint, applied with a palette knife and an apron (well, really, to be honest I cannot even eat without food on my shirt, so maybe most of you can skip the apron).

Here are a few more pieces

It does take a couple of weeks for the canvases to be ready to hang, sell, or handled. The oil dries slowly. I am experimenting with another gel medium and a spray to see if I can get them to dry before somebody decides to put an elbow in them here at my art room.

My Art

current publications that I have work in

Click to purchase TwoCoolTexans artwork on Etsy

About TwoCoolTexans

I am a mixed media artist and teacher in the Dallas area. I have been teaching and pursuing mixed media arts since I became an empty nester about 12 years ago. I am one half of TwoCoolTexans, the other half being my daughter, Alisha. Alisha tells me it is more like 15 years that I have been pursuring my art. I have no concept of time. The hobby has turned into a profession of sorts and occupies most of my time. I love it! My daughter and I collaborate on a lot of art projects, especially articles and work to be published. We also do artwork and demos for Clearsnap. I feel so blessed to have a "best friend" and a daughter who shares my passion for all things art.